Cavs' Kyrie Irving to start All-Star game, named to Team USA pool

INDEPENDENCE, OH - JANUARY 23: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a portrait in the 2014 All-Star Uniform being named a starter on January 23, 2014 at the Cleveland Clinic Courts Practice Facility in Independence, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 2014(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Thursday was a monumental day for Kyrie Irving.
First, Irving was among a pool of 28 players who will be on Team USA’s national team for 2014-16, the first step toward making the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic teams.
Then, he earned a starting spot for the Eastern Conference All-Star team Thursday evening. He finished with 860,221.
“Thank you fans for voting me as an All-star starter,” Irving tweeted. “Wouldn’t be there without you all!! #blessed”
Irving is the third Cavs player to start in an All-Star Game, joining LeBron James (2005-10) and Shawn Kemp (1998). He also will become the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to play in his second All-Star Game (James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Isiah Thomas).
He became the 16th All-Star in Cavs’ history last year.
The 2014 NBA All-Star Game will be played in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m.
Irving said he was quite humbled by the USA Basketball announcement.
“It’s such an honor to be in such a great pool of players,” Irving said after practice on Thursday at Cleveland Clinic Courts. “You look at the list of the veterans on the team and the newcomers, it’s such great talent. I’m looking forward to going to camp and working hard with the team.”
When talk shifted to the All-Star team, he smiled, and said, “I was just happy to be on the Olympic roster. That’s the best answer I can give you right now until it’s officially out.
“If something miraculous happens later on, I’ll be ecstatic.”
The 6-foot-3, 193-pound Irving is averaging 21.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and a career-high 6.1 assists. He’s shooting 43 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from the 3-point line.
Team USA’s first challenge will be the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. Irving plans to go to Spain if he’s selected to play.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I know everybody wants to be on that team. I’m one of those guys that are going to work my tail off to get on that team and make it. To travel with the team would be a great thing. Being around those great guys and great players would be great, great learning experience.”
From there, he hopes to be a part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team in Brazil.
“To have USA on your chest is one of those lifetime goals as a kid I want to accomplish,” Irving said.
Irving’s coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, returns to coach Team USA. He will be assisted by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams.
“I’m not surprised with anything Kyrie is doing,” Krzyzewski said on a national conference call. “I knew in high school when I saw him that he had not just special athletic talents, but he has special mental and people talent. He’s got the whole package. He’s grounded, and nothing that he does will surprise me.”
Krzyzewski said the Cavs’ addition of forward Luol Deng will help Irving’s cause.
“I think having Luol there gives him a veteran who is the ultimate warrior,” he said. “Luol is one of the more talented players in the NBA, and the very few times that he might be playing somebody that has a little bit more talent, he will never be outcompeted. Any NBA coach will tell you that they look for talent and somebody who will not be outcompeted at his position every night, and to have that around Kyrie right now as he develops — I mean, he would only be a senior in college right now — I think is very opportunistic for him.”
USA Basketball chairman and managing director Jerry Colangelo said Irving will be part of a deep and talented roster.
“We are very fortunate to have 11 of the 12 members who won gold at the London Olympics wanting to be part of the national team program again,” Colangelo said in a prepared statement. “To receive that kind of commitment is remarkable and it demonstrates how much it means to our players to represent USA Basketball and their country.”
Cavs coach Mike Brown said it will be a “phenomenal experience” to be a part of the national team.
“You’re talking about a great coach, a Hall of Fame coach, in Coach K,” Brown said. “(It’s) being on a pretty high stage, maybe the highest stage in basketball. You’re playing games that really matter and mean something. The competitive spirit of those games is pretty high. The preparation that you get as a team and from the individuals on that team is off the charts. You can always learn from not just from the coach and the team environment, but the individuals involved, too, and how they prepare on the floor, off the floor, to win games.”Quick shots
-- Brown admits Deng has not had any contact in practice with the Cavs since the Jan. 7 trade. “He’s done everything but contact,” Brown said. “He hasn’t had a contact practice yet.” The Cavs no longer have a minutes’ restriction on him. “Talking to our medical staff, his extended minutes are better for him,” Brown said. “The longer he sits, the stiffer his Achilles gets.”
-- Irving hadn’t planned to attend the 14th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, even though he’s up for Athlete of the Year. He said he’s rooting for Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon to win the award. “He definitely deserves that,” Irving said. “He did a great job for the Browns this year. (I’m a) big fan of his.”
-- Cavs forward Anthony Bennett sat with Cavs General Manager Chris Grant after practice, fueling rumors that he was headed to the D-League. False alarm. Brown said he wasn’t aware that Grant spoke with the struggling rookie. “I was not privy to that,” Brown said.Team USA pool
The following is a list of players on the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team roster:
Point guards (7): Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland), Deron Williams (Brooklyn), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City), Stephen Curry (Golden State), Derrick Rose (Chicago), Damian Lillard (Portland)
Shooting guards (6): James Harden (Houston), Andre Iguodala (Golden State), Bradley Beal (Washington), Gordon Hayward (Utah), Kyle Korver (Atlanta), Klay Thompson (Golden State)
Power forwards (6): Kevin Love (Minnesota), Blake Griffin (LA Clippers), Anthony Davis (New Orleans), LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland), Kenneth Faried (Denver), David Lee (Golden State)
Small forwards (5): Carmelo Anthony (New York), LeBron James (Miami), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City), Paul George (Indiana), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio),
Centers (4): Tyson Chandler (New York), Dwight Howard (Houston), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento), Andre Drummond (Detroit).

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Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@news-herald.com
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